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100+ Free ACM-SW Practice Questions

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During the evaluation phase, what is the PRIMARY purpose of monitoring the care plan?

A
B
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D
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Sample ACM-SW Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your ACM-SW exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1A social work case manager meets a newly admitted patient with advanced COPD who lives alone. Which action BEST initiates the screening and assessment process?
A.Complete a comprehensive psychosocial assessment covering functional, financial, and support-system status
B.Schedule a family meeting before talking with the patient
C.Arrange home oxygen delivery immediately
D.Refer the patient directly to hospice
Explanation: Screening and assessment begins with a comprehensive psychosocial assessment that gathers functional ability, financial resources, social support, and risk factors. This data drives all later planning. Acting on a single need before assessing creates fragmented, premature interventions.
2During intake, which factor is the STRONGEST indicator that a patient is at high risk for readmission and warrants intensive case management?
A.The patient has private commercial insurance
B.The patient is 45 years old
C.The patient had two or more hospitalizations in the prior six months
D.The patient asks many questions about the discharge process
Explanation: A history of multiple recent hospitalizations is one of the most validated predictors of readmission risk and signals the need for intensive coordination. Identifying high-risk patients early allows the case manager to target resources where they matter most.
3A case manager screens a patient using a validated depression tool and obtains a PHQ-9 score of 22. What does this score MOST appropriately prompt?
A.No further action because the patient denies suicidal thoughts
B.Immediate involuntary psychiatric commitment
C.Discharge with a follow-up phone call in 30 days
D.Documentation of severe depressive symptoms and referral for behavioral health evaluation
Explanation: A PHQ-9 score of 20 or higher indicates severe depression. The appropriate next step is documenting the result and referring for behavioral health evaluation, integrating mental health needs into the care plan. Screening tools guide referral, not unilateral legal action.
4A patient screens positive for intimate partner violence during the psychosocial assessment. What is the case manager's FIRST priority?
A.Contact the alleged perpetrator to verify the report
B.Assess the patient's immediate safety and develop a safety plan privately
C.Notify the patient's employer
D.Document and take no further action unless the patient files charges
Explanation: When IPV is disclosed, the immediate priority is assessing safety and building a confidential safety plan with the patient. Safety planning must occur privately to avoid escalating danger and respects the patient's autonomy in deciding next steps.
5Which data source provides the MOST reliable information about a patient's functional status for discharge planning?
A.Standardized functional assessment such as the Barthel Index combined with PT/OT evaluation
B.The patient's self-report of how they feel today
C.The admitting diagnosis code
D.The patient's age and gender
Explanation: Standardized functional assessments combined with therapy evaluations objectively quantify the patient's ability to perform activities of daily living, which is essential for matching the right post-acute level of care. Objective, multidisciplinary data reduces unsafe placement decisions.
6A homeless patient is admitted with cellulitis. During assessment, which social determinant of health should the case manager prioritize identifying to prevent readmission?
A.The patient's favorite type of music
B.The patient's college major
C.Stable housing and access to a safe place to recover and store medications
D.The patient's preferred television channel
Explanation: Housing instability is a powerful social determinant that directly affects wound care, medication storage, and recovery. Identifying and addressing it is central to a safe discharge and preventing avoidable readmission for this patient.
7A case manager is assessing a patient's decision-making capacity. Which finding BEST supports that the patient has capacity to consent to a discharge plan?
A.The patient agrees with everything the team recommends
B.The patient has no psychiatric diagnosis
C.The patient is over 65 years old
D.The patient can understand the information, appreciate the consequences, reason through options, and communicate a choice
Explanation: Decision-making capacity is defined by the patient's ability to understand relevant information, appreciate the consequences, reason about options, and communicate a consistent choice. These four functional abilities, not agreement or diagnosis, determine capacity.
8Which screening finding should prompt the case manager to evaluate for elder mistreatment?
A.An 80-year-old with well-controlled hypertension and a supportive spouse
B.An older adult with unexplained bruising, poor hygiene, and a caregiver who answers all questions for them
C.An older adult who exercises daily
D.An older adult who manages their own medications independently
Explanation: Unexplained injuries, neglected hygiene, and a controlling caregiver who speaks for the patient are recognized red flags for elder abuse or neglect. These warrant a private interview and, where indicated, a mandated report to adult protective services.
9A non-English-speaking patient requires a psychosocial assessment. What is the appropriate practice?
A.Use a qualified medical interpreter and assess through them
B.Use the patient's adult child to interpret to save time
C.Postpone the assessment until an English-speaking relative arrives
D.Communicate using gestures and simple drawings only
Explanation: A qualified medical interpreter ensures accurate, confidential, and unbiased communication, which is required to obtain valid assessment data and informed consent. Using family members risks errors, role conflict, and breaches of confidentiality.
10A case manager identifies that a patient lacks the financial means for prescribed medications. At which stage of the case management process is this need MOST appropriately identified?
A.Only at discharge
B.After the first readmission
C.During screening and assessment of financial and resource barriers
D.It is not the case manager's responsibility
Explanation: Financial barriers to medication adherence should be identified during the assessment phase so they can be built into the care plan early. Catching affordability gaps proactively prevents nonadherence-driven complications and readmissions.

About the ACM-SW Exam

The ACM-SW is the social-work pathway of ACMA's Accredited Case Manager certification, delivered at Pearson VUE. Candidates complete a 110-question Core multiple-choice exam and a 5-case Specialty Simulation covering screening/assessment, planning, care coordination/intervention, and evaluation. The credential is valid for four years.

Assessment

Two sections: a 110-item Core multiple-choice exam (90 scored) plus a discipline-specific Specialty Simulation of 5 interactive case scenarios.

Time Limit

2 hours for the Core section and 90 minutes for the Specialty Simulation section

Passing Score

Criterion-referenced cut score set via a modified Angoff Passing Point Study; the simulation requires passing both Information Gathering and Decision Making components. Exact score is not published and varies by form.

Exam Fee

$359 (quarterly application) or $405 for the Apply Now/Schedule Now option; retest fees are $359 for both sections or $200 for a single section (American Case Management Association (ACMA) / National Board for Case Management (NBCM))

ACM-SW Exam Content Outline

15%

Screening and Assessment

Psychosocial assessment, risk stratification, behavioral health and safety screening, social determinants of health, decision-making capacity, and identification of patient and family needs.

25%

Planning

Plan of care development, SMART goal-setting, levels of care and post-acute placement, Medicare/Medicaid benefit and CMS regulatory rules, and advance care planning.

35%

Care Coordination and Intervention

Care transitions, medication reconciliation, handoffs, advocacy and appeals, resource brokering, utilization management, HIPAA/EMTALA compliance, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

25%

Evaluation

Monitoring progress toward goals, reassessment, outcome and quality metrics, performance/process improvement, cost-effectiveness, and appropriate case closure.

How to Pass the ACM-SW Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: Criterion-referenced cut score set via a modified Angoff Passing Point Study; the simulation requires passing both Information Gathering and Decision Making components. Exact score is not published and varies by form.
  • Assessment: Two sections: a 110-item Core multiple-choice exam (90 scored) plus a discipline-specific Specialty Simulation of 5 interactive case scenarios.
  • Time limit: 2 hours for the Core section and 90 minutes for the Specialty Simulation section
  • Exam fee: $359 (quarterly application) or $405 for the Apply Now/Schedule Now option; retest fees are $359 for both sections or $200 for a single section

Keys to Passing

  • Complete 500+ practice questions
  • Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
  • Focus on highest-weighted sections
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

ACM-SW Study Tips from Top Performers

1Weight your study toward Care Coordination and Intervention (35%) and the equally weighted Planning and Evaluation domains (25% each), since together they account for 85% of scored content.
2Master U.S. reimbursement and regulatory rules tested in Planning and Coordination, including the Medicare 3-day SNF stay, the Important Message from Medicare, CMS freedom-of-choice, EMTALA, and HIPAA minimum-necessary disclosure.
3Practice applying the case management process (assess, plan, coordinate, evaluate) to short social-work vignettes, since the Specialty Simulation rewards sound information-gathering before decision-making.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many questions are on the ACM-SW exam?

The Core section has 110 multiple-choice questions, of which 90 are scored and 20 are unscored pretest items. Candidates also complete a Specialty Simulation of 5 case scenarios (4 scored, 1 unscored).

What are the eligibility requirements for the social work pathway?

ACM-SW applicants must hold a bachelor's or master's degree from an accredited school of social work or a valid social work license in good standing, plus at least 2,080 hours of supervised, full-time paid work experience as a case manager.

Who administers the ACM exam and how much does it cost?

ACMA partners with Pearson VUE to deliver the exam. The fee is $359 for the quarterly application or $405 for the Apply Now/Schedule Now option; retesting costs $359 for both sections or $200 for a single section.

How long is the ACM credential valid?

The ACM credential is valid for four years. Recertification requires 40 hours of continuing education with specified healthcare-related components and a recertification fee.